Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk Records

What the Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk Does

Melissa Harrell is the Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk. She is an elected official serving a four-year term. The role covers all filings, processing, and final disposition of cases across several phases of civil and criminal law procedure. That means the Circuit Court Clerk's office receives new case filings, manages the case file through its life in court, records every order and judgment entered, and keeps the official records once a case closes.

The office employs chief deputies and deputy clerks assigned to each court. Those staff members attend court sessions and perform the clerical functions the court needs to run, from swearing in witnesses to recording the minutes of each hearing. When a judge signs an order, the clerk's office files it and makes it part of the permanent record. The clerk does not give legal advice and cannot tell a party what to file or how to proceed; that is the role of an attorney.

Because the office covers Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions Civil, General Sessions Criminal, and Juvenile clerk functions, almost every non-equity public case in the county passes through it. Chancery Court matters go to a separate office, the Chancery Court Clerk and Master. For Rutherford County court records in Circuit or General Sessions, the Circuit Court Clerk is the right contact.

Circuit Civil and Circuit Criminal Divisions

The Circuit Court Clerk runs two distinct divisions for Circuit Court work: Circuit Civil and Circuit Criminal. Each has its own phone line and fax number because the types of cases, the paperwork, and the procedures differ enough to keep them separate. Knowing which division your case is in saves time before you call.

Circuit Civil handles civil lawsuits filed in Circuit Court, including appeals from General Sessions civil matters. Cases like personal injury, contract disputes, and civil appeals land here. The phone number for Circuit Civil is (615) 898-7820, and the fax is (615) 691-5904.

Circuit Criminal handles felony and other criminal cases filed in Circuit Court, including criminal appeals from General Sessions. If a person was arrested, charged, bound over from General Sessions, and is now in Circuit Court on a criminal charge, the Circuit Criminal division keeps that file. The phone number for Circuit Criminal is (615) 898-7812, and the fax is (615) 691-5917. Both divisions are at 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. For Rutherford County court dockets and hearing calendars, the online portal and the Circuit Court calendar page list upcoming dates by case.

General Sessions Clerk Functions

The Circuit Court Clerk also performs the clerk functions for General Sessions Court, which is the limited-jurisdiction trial court for the county. General Sessions splits into Civil and Criminal tracks, and each has its own contact line.

General Sessions Civil covers landlord-tenant detainer warrants, small claims-type money disputes, and other noncriminal matters within the court's civil jurisdiction. The phone number for General Sessions Civil is (615) 217-0069, and the fax is (615) 396-3152. General Sessions Criminal handles misdemeanor cases and the early stages of felony cases, including preliminary hearings before a case is bound over to Circuit Court. That line is (615) 898-7831, and the fax is (615) 691-5890.

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts General Sessions Courts page explains the limited civil and criminal jurisdiction these courts hold statewide. Cases in General Sessions can be appealed to Circuit Court; the Circuit Court Clerk then receives that appeal and opens a new case at the Circuit level. This means one dispute can generate records in both courts.

The Tennessee AOC's General Sessions overview describes the eight-year judge terms and the scope of civil and criminal matters handled at this level. Rutherford County's General Sessions clerk work is handled by the Circuit Court Clerk's office, not a separate clerk, so all General Sessions filings and records requests go to Room 102 at the Judicial Center.

Juvenile Clerk Functions

The Circuit Court Clerk manages Juvenile Court clerk functions in Rutherford County. The Juvenile Clerk's Office phone number is (615) 898-7972, and the fax is (615) 713-3382. Because juvenile records receive special treatment under state law, what you can access differs from Circuit or General Sessions records.

Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-153 governs confidentiality of juvenile court records. Most juvenile records are not open to the general public. Access is limited to the parties, their attorneys, certain state agencies, and others the court specifically authorizes. This means a public case search through the online portal may not return juvenile cases, and the clerk cannot release juvenile records to members of the public who do not have a legal basis for access.

If you have a legitimate need for a juvenile record, contact the Juvenile Clerk's Office directly at (615) 898-7972 to ask about the specific steps for your situation. The clerk can explain what is required but cannot provide legal advice on whether you qualify for access.

The Tennessee AOC Juvenile and Family Courts page describes the statewide framework for juvenile jurisdiction and county-based juvenile courts. Rutherford County's juvenile records remain subject to that confidentiality framework, so contact the clerk before assuming any record is publicly available.

The Online Records Portal

The Rutherford County Online Court Records System at rutherford.tncrtinfo.com is the free public search portal for Circuit Court, General Sessions, and Clerk and Master cases. The Circuit Court Clerk issued a notice in June 2025 stating that subscription logins would end and that a free records search would launch on July 1, 2025. If you had a subscription login before that date, it no longer works. The search is now free for everyone with no login required.

To search, go to the case search page and enter a party name or case number. You must complete the Cloudflare Turnstile check before the search runs. The portal searches Circuit Court, General Sessions, and Clerk and Master by default; you can narrow it to one court if you know where the case was filed. Results can be sorted by column header and filtered in real time using the filter box that appears after results load.

Keep in mind that the portal's own terms say the information is not the official court record. It is provided as a public service and should not be used as the basis for legal action. For anything that requires official documentation, such as proof for another agency or use in court, you need a certified copy from the clerk's office. The Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 34 governs public access to court records statewide.

How to Request a Certified Copy

A certified copy carries the court seal and is the official version of a record. Most government agencies, employers, and courts that ask for proof of a case outcome want a certified copy, not a printout from the online portal. The Circuit Court Clerk provides certified copies for cases in its jurisdiction. Follow these steps to get one.

1. Identify the case. Use the online portal at rutherford.tncrtinfo.com to find the case number, the court division (Circuit Civil, Circuit Criminal, General Sessions, etc.), and the filing year. Write these down before you contact the clerk.
2. Determine what documents you need. A certified copy of the final order is not the same as a certified copy of the full case file. Know whether you need just the judgment, a specific pleading, or the entire file. This affects both the processing time and the cost.
3. Contact the correct division. Call Circuit Civil at (615) 898-7820 for civil cases, or Circuit Criminal at (615) 898-7812 for criminal cases. For General Sessions matters, call (615) 217-0069 for civil or (615) 898-7831 for criminal. Staff can confirm the process and any fees that apply.
4. Submit a public records request if needed. Use the Circuit Court Clerk open records request form, available as a PDF from the county's circuit-forms page. Fill in your name, contact information, a description of the records you want, and your preferred delivery method. Sign the form.
5. Visit in person or send by mail. Bring or mail the completed request to 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The building closes to the public at 4:15 p.m., so arrive before that time.
6. Pay any applicable fee. Fees for certified copies vary by the type of record and number of pages. Ask the clerk for the current amount when you contact the office. Have payment ready when you pick up or mail payment with your request if the clerk instructs you to do so.
7. Wait for processing. Processing time depends on the workload and the age of the record. Older records may need to be retrieved from archives. For time-sensitive needs, tell the clerk when you contact the office so staff can advise on realistic timing.

Note: The online portal data is informational only. Only a certified copy from the clerk carries legal weight for use in court or with other agencies.

Clerk Contact Numbers

The Circuit Court Clerk's office covers multiple divisions, each with its own phone line. Use the table below to reach the right desk on your first call. General numbers for related offices are also listed because people often need them when navigating the Rutherford County court system.

If you are unsure which division to call, start with Circuit Civil at (615) 898-7820. Staff can redirect you if the case is in a different division. For questions about a criminal case, Circuit Criminal at (615) 898-7812 is the better starting point.

Public Records Request Form

Tennessee's Public Records Act, found at Tenn. Code Ann. section 10-7-503, gives Tennessee residents the right to inspect and copy most public records. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains a written public-records policy and provides a request form for those who want to submit a written request. You can find the form as a PDF through the Circuit Court Clerk forms page.

The table below shows the fields in the Circuit Court Clerk open records request form so you know what to prepare before you download and fill it out. Not every field is marked as required on the face of the form, but providing complete information helps the office locate records and respond faster.

Confidential records are excluded from public access under Tenn. Code Ann. section 10-7-504. Juvenile records are one common example. If the clerk denies your request, ask for the specific exemption that applies so you know what options remain.

Office Hours and Location

The Circuit Court Clerk's main office is at 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, in the Rutherford County Judicial Center in downtown Murfreesboro. The building opened in 2018 and is the primary site for all Circuit, General Sessions, and Juvenile clerk functions. Free parking is available at the garage at 233 North Maple Street, across from the Judicial Building.

Plan to arrive before 4:15 p.m. if you need to visit in person. The building shuts its public doors fifteen minutes before the official office close. If you are driving, the North Maple Street garage is free and the closest public parking to the Judicial Center.

For ADA accommodations, including sign-language interpreters, mobility assistance, or other needs, contact ADA Coordinator Sonya Stephenson at (615) 494-4480 before your visit or court date. Do not wait until the day you arrive to request an accommodation.

Rutherford County Archives and Historical Records

For older court records that predate the current filing system, the Rutherford County Archives is a separate research location. The Archives preserves government-generated county records, including judicial proceedings, tax documents, and administrative records, and makes them available to government agencies and the public. The Archives is at 435 Rice Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130, phone (615) 867-4609.

The Rutherford County Archives page shows the county's records preservation mission and the types of materials it holds, including older court records that are no longer active in the Circuit Court Clerk's current system. If you are researching a case from many decades ago, the Archives may hold what you need even when the clerk's office does not have it on file. The historic Rutherford County Courthouse on the public square operates as a museum rather than an active court location. Active filings and records requests go to the Judicial Center on West Lytle Street.

Other Rutherford County Clerks

The Circuit Court Clerk is not the only clerk office in the county. Two other offices handle separate categories of records, and knowing which one you need prevents wasted trips.

The County Clerk is a separate elected official. The County Clerk handles marriage licenses, vehicle registration, business licenses, beer permits, notary commissions, passports, County Commission minutes, Beer Board records, conservatorships, guardianships, and probate estate filings after the probate judge admits an estate. If you need a marriage license, estate papers, or a vehicle registration, the County Clerk is your office. The County Clerk has branches in Murfreesboro, Blackman, Smyrna, and Eagleville, so there may be a location near you.

The Chancery Court Clerk and Master handles Chancery Court records, which cover equity matters including divorce, adoption, paternity, orders of protection, guardianship, probate-related matters, name changes, real estate disputes, trusts, and contract actions in Chancery. The Chancery office is at 116 W. Lytle St., Suite 5101, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. If your case is in Chancery Court, go to the Clerk and Master, not to the Circuit Court Clerk. The two offices share the same building but are separate.

For a full look at how Rutherford County's courts connect, see the Circuit Court page, which explains the court's jurisdiction and the 16th Judicial District. For Rutherford County public records that fall outside court filings entirely, the public records page covers the range of available sources.